Succession laws in Madeira, Portugal
Approximately 9 million Europeans are taking advantage of their European Union Citizenship's free movement rights by living outside of their home country. There are about 450 000 international successions each year in the EU; this represents more than 120 Billion Euros. As owners of real estate property, houses and bank accounts, families are confronted with different rules on jurisdiction and applicable laws in the 27 EU member states.
For example, if a Madeiran Portuguese citizen who owns a property in France dies, which succession law is applicable? The Portuguese or the French?. To help citizens become better informed as to the laws, The Council of the Notaries of the EU launched a website (www.successions-europe.eu) in 22 EU languages including Croatian. If you are considering investing or buying property in Madeira, Portugal, I would love to hear from you.